In a Shark Tank episode that proves family businesses can still make Sharks' fins wiggle with interest, Ashley and Kenneth Green's KaAn's Designs managed to secure a deal with Guest Shark Todd Graves – though not quite in the way they expected.
The husband-and-wife team entered the Tank seeking $75,000 for 15% of their family-focused clothing line, which specializes in screen-printed designs that encourage families to "get in the picture" and capture life's precious moments. Their pitch resulted in a venture debt deal with Graves for $75,000 as a loan for 10% equity, plus a bonus mentorship from Daymond John (though he kept his wallet firmly closed). For a business that started in their garage, that's not bad for a day's work in the Shark Tank.
Were Kaans Designs’ numbers Shark Tank worthy?
The Greens came to Shark Tank armed with numbers that painted an interesting picture of their business. Operating with profit margins that would make most retailers weep with joy (nearly 80%), their cost breakdown revealed the kind of efficiency that would make a Six Sigma black belt proud. Adult shirts cost $5.12 to make and sell for $26, while kids' shirts cost $4.24 and retail for $21 – math that even Kevin O'Leary couldn't criticize.
However, it wasn't all sunshine and screen printing. With a customer acquisition cost of $9.37 and a return rate that would make any e-commerce founder nervous (30%), there were some wrinkles in their business model that needed ironing out.
Their lifetime sales of $3.2 million since 2016 showed promise, though their projected $280K-$300K for the current year suggested they might need more than just an investment to reach their full potential.
What did the Sharks have to say?
The Sharks' reactions on this episode of Shark Tank were as varied as their investment portfolios. Kevin O'Leary, ever the pragmatist, saw no room for an investor, claiming the retail margins weren't substantial enough – which might be the first time in Shark Tank history that an 80% margin wasn't enough for Mr. Wonderful.
Lori Greiner loved everything except her own expertise in the fashion industry, proving that sometimes self-awareness is the better part of valor. Daymond John, despite his fashion empire, predicted they could grow to a $5-$10M on-demand business but decided to keep his checkbook closed – though he didn't completely close the door.
Enter Guest Shark Todd Graves, who approached the deal with the kind of straightforward honesty rarely seen in the Tank. Admitting the business wasn't in his wheelhouse (a refreshing admission for a Shark Tank business know-it-all), he nonetheless saw potential in the brand. His offer of $75K as a loan for 10% equity came with a bonus: he wanted to rope in Daymond John as a mentor.
In a moment of Shark Tank solidarity, Daymond agreed to mentor without investing – proving that sometimes the best deals aren't just about money. Mark Cuban was about to jump in with an offer but stepped back, acknowledging that Graves had more to offer the company.
The deal was sealed when Graves shared some wisdom about equity retention, during a counter-negotiation, using his own success with Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers as an example. Nothing says "trust me" quite like turning one restaurant into an 800-chain empire while maintaining over 90% ownership.
The Greens walked out with exactly what they needed: capital, mentorship, and the kind of business advice you can't get from a YouTube tutorial. Not bad for a company that started in a garage and now has two Sharks in its corner – one with his wallet open and another with his rolodex ready.
Catch new episodes of Shark Tank Fridays at 8 pm ET on ABC, or stream them the next day on Hulu. Just remember, results may vary, and not all garage businesses end up with multiple Sharks as mentors.
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Season 16 of Shark Tank airs on Fridays at 8 PM ET on ABC, with next-day streaming on Hulu and on-demand. Past seasons are also available on Amazon Prime Video and iTunes.
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